They Have Your Back
by SJAandDWfan
Summary: Prompted by 7x23, "Patriot Down", Ziva tells Kaylen she knows how the Petty Officer feels, and in turn, Kaylen assures Ziva there are people at NCIS who care about her, one in particular. Rated T for mentions of rape. My first  uploaded  NCIS fanfiction!


**Okay, so this isn't the first NCIS fanfic I've written, but it is the first one I've posted. If this one goes well I might put the other one up, so please let me know what you think.**

**I only got into NCIS a couple of months ago, and a channel in my country (UK) called FX is showing the whole series, and we're in late season 7. I got the inspiration for this fic after watching Patriot Down. Ziva seemed almost tearful with Petty Officer Burroughs' rape, and I'm guessing what happened to her in Somalia wasn't good.**

**This is more Tiva friendship, but in my opinion, there are some hints at romance. So, enjoy!**

**Rated T for mentions of rape.**

"Petty Officer Burroughs!"

The young woman turned around as Ziva came to a halt in front of her, slightly out of breath.

"I've been looking all over, trying to catch you before you left." She panted.

A frown creased Kaylen's face. "Why?"

"I –, " Ziva stopped, unsure of what to say next. The Petty Officer seemed to know what she was trying to say, however.

"Is this about what happened with, um, Tyler and his dad?"

Ziva nodded. "I just wanted to say," she struggled with her words for a few moments, "I know…how you…um, feel, Kaylen." The words came haltingly, as if they took a great effort to say them.

Kaylen looked momentarily confused. "You were…"

"Raped, yes." Ziva whispered, glancing down at the floor of the corridor they were in. "Nearly a year ago, now."

"I – I'm so sorry." Kaylen said. "D'you mind me asking…"

"No, it's – I was, um, captured in Somalia when a Mossad operation I was involved in went wrong. I was alone. They held me there for months." Ziva now seemed to find her shoes very interesting.

"You're with Mossad?" Kaylen asked.

Ziva shook her bowed head. "No, not any more. Anyway, there was a man named Saleem. He and his men, they tortured me for information about NCIS," she laughed, but it was short, hollow, "part of that torture was beatings, part of it was rape."

Not sure if there were any words that could help, Kaylen stepped forward and enveloped Ziva in a hug. Although initially surprised, Ziva did not pull away, but just stood there.

Kaylen released her. "You'll get through it, Ziva," she said, "because, from what I've seen, you have people here who care about you, who have your back."

Ziva looked up. "I know. Tony, McGee and Gibbs, they rescued me when my father and Mossad didn't. They brought me here, home. I can never repay them for that."

"When we first met a few days ago on the ship, that other agent you were with, Agent DiNozzo – "

"Tony?"

"Yeah. In the interrogation room, he couldn't stop looking at you. I saw him reflected in the one-way glass." Kaylen smiled, "He looks at you the same way my father looks at my mother." She said softly.

Silence fell as Ziva mulled this over. Had Tony really been looking at her the entire time? Did he know about Saleem and what he'd done to her?

"Do you think he knows what happened in Somalia? Tony, I mean?" Ziva asked.

"Yes."

The voice came from behind her. Ziva spun around, fear in her eyes, something she hadn't shown in months.

"I need to get back." Kaylen said, wisely excusing herself. She gently squeezed Ziva's shoulder. "Thank you, Ziva."

Petty Officer Burroughs left, leaving Tony and Ziva alone in the otherwise deserted corridor.

"Tony, I – "

"You don't have to say anything." Tony said, walking closer to her, a sympathetic, almost heartbroken expression on his face. He held out his arms, and Ziva unhesitatingly stepped into them. He held her gently, absentmindedly stroking her wavy hair. A few minutes passed, in which they stood, neither saying anything, neither wanting to break the comfortable silence. Eventually, though, Tony spoke, his voice cracking.

"I'm so sorry, Ziva. I went through your report, the one after you got back from Somalia." He buried his face in her hair, and she could hardly understand what his muffled voice said next.  
>"After you returned, you seemed so…hollow. Then, these past few days you were unusually emotional about the rape case, and I wondered. I'm really, really sorry, Ziva," he said again, "you have every right to be furious with me, but I couldn't stand seeing you as you were and not being able to do anything about it."<p>

Ziva didn't say anything, but she lifted her head from Tony's chest, and looked him in the eyes. They were shining with tears. She felt his thumb brush something wet from her cheek and knew she, too, must be crying.

Slowly, hesitantly, she reached up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, letting him know it was alright, telling him thank you, for so many things. He gave her a small, watery smile in return, and whispered, "Thank you, Zi."

Ziva cleared her throat, and hastily wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Um, Gibbs will be looking – "

But she caught herself; Gibbs had flown to Mexico. He wasn't here. She could stay like this forever, wrapped in Tony's arms, and yet she knew she couldn't. Not yet, anyway. There was still work to be done.

Tony released her, but still kept a light grip in Ziva's wrists.

"Yeah, poor McGeek is lost without us." He said, and placed a hand on her cheek, and planted a small kiss on her temple. Ziva's eyes briefly fluttered shut before he drew back and let go of her completely.

"Back to work?" he asked.

"Back to work."

**Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you want me to post more, 'cause if you want them, I'll be happy to oblige. If you want more romantic or funnier stories, I could do those too.**

**Reviews make the world go round!**


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